


Seemed like he knew me, he looked right through me

by Wolfsheart



Series: Angst Prompt Series [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Tragedy, Avengers Tower, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Gen, Heavy Angst, Illusions, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loki's Magic, Magic, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Time Travel Fix-It, Tony's angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27722510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfsheart/pseuds/Wolfsheart
Summary: Tony sneaks over to the former Avengers Tower and finds an unexpected message from someone he never thought he'd hear from again.
Relationships: Loki & Tony Stark
Series: Angst Prompt Series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027723
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	Seemed like he knew me, he looked right through me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scottxlogan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scottxlogan/gifts).



> This is from the [Angst Prompt List on Tumblr](https://teadrinkingwolfgirl.tumblr.com/post/624914433076051968/angst-prompts). Scottxlogan gave me the prompt: 7. “Guess our luck ran out.” & 19\. “If you’re reading this, then I’m probably dead.”

* * *

It took months before Tony was well enough to leave the Avengers facility he'd built for a team he'd stopped 'consulting' for after Steve went rogue and disappeared. Pepper fed him so many healthy meals, and Happy snuck him twice as many cheeseburgers until he no longer looked like a starving version of the Walking Dead. The Snap had taken away so much from everyone. Pepper hadn't wanted to let Tony out of her sight. They'd married, escaped to the cabin in the woods that was now their home, and in the moments after they were completely alone, Tony had broken down. Pepper held him until there was nothing left, and he finally slept. 

He'd let himself into the former Avengers Tower, an empty shell. No life left in the old girl, especially after Happy saw to moving everything out. Tony could access everything still, so he rode the elevator up to the penthouse. Echoes of former friends' laughter haunted him here. They'd been manipulated into strengthening themselves as a team by the death of a good man; he'd been manipulated into tearing the team apart by the death of a man, who was nowhere near as good, being revealed to him. 

Tony closed his eyes and shoved away the ache.

All around him in the penthouse, he could hear the memories of everything that happened here. The ghosts of the Avengers would never leave him alone. Some of their voices would accuse him until the day he died, he supposed. 

_You failed, Tony. Where were you when we needed you most?_

"Fuck you," he told the ghosts out loud. 

When the last of his words lost their echo, Tony's attention was caught by a strange green shimmer that activated like a piece of his own tech by the sound of his voice. He walked over to the bar, and the shimmer grew and illuminated his face in the mirror wall behind the shelves that had been empty of their bottles for a long time now. 

The green began to pulse, as if it took on a life of its own. It became a lighthouse's beacon, and Tony moved closer until he noticed what appeared to be a small green gem embedded in the bar-back. He reached for it. His brain went immediately to the Infinity Stones, and he wondered if this was one of them; if this was a chance to bring everyone back. 

As his finger stroked the surface of the stone, it shook in its confines in the counter until it pulled free and floated inches above its encasement. He wracked his brain trying to figure out how and when this could've been put in his highly secure building. Had Stephen Strange come poking around at some point that he was unaware of? 

Tony stepped back as the stone hovered in front of him, and the light expanded down to the floor and up until it towered over him by another foot. The light formed into a figure, and as the features became clearer, the mechanic took another step back and gripped the edge of the bar to keep his balance. 

Within seconds, Loki stared at him. The Asgardian – Jotun? – mage was made of the green light that still emanated from the stone, which he could barely make out now other than to see it pulsating where Loki's heart would be. As if the stone was Loki's heart. 

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Tony demanded, but his voice just barely came out as a whisper. "Are you here? Is that really..." 

"Stark. You are no doubt swearing or summoning your gauntlet to blast me, the latter of which will be entirely pointless. I'm sure I've just given you a fright, and I do apologize. It is a shame we could never connect on the intellectual level that might have made us friends instead of enemies. For this strange intrusion into your life, I apologize, but my message for you is more than likely urgent, for you are about to tangle with a power in the universe that you have very little chance in defeating." 

Tony's lips were parted to speak back to this illusion – his own personal 'Help me, Obi Wan' message from the asshole who threw him out of the window not far from where the magic projected. 

"You're a bit late with this message, asshole," he snarked, even though he was certain Loki couldn't actually hear him through this little magic...thing. He thought about reaching for a bottle and the empty shelves reminded him that all of it had been moved out years ago. 

"If you've found this message, chances are, I'm dead, and this is the best warning I can give you to prepare for what's coming, so listen closely."

That perked Tony's ears. 

"Dead? Didn't you die before?" 

"I've been dead before...a few times, in fact, but this time, I doubt there will be any coming back from whatever Thanos has done to me. He tends to make death final, and to be quite honest, Stark, I'm tired enough to stay dead this time." The image of Loki gave a sad, almost wistful smile behind the exhausted features. "I've jumped through hoops my entire life and was never good enough no matter how well I did. Banner tells me that you have some understanding of that. Oh yes, Banner and I have become quite good friends since Sakaar. You should have him tell you about it. You might find the whole...Revengers story an amusing one." 

Tony leaned against the counter, feeling the weight of exhaustion against his chest. There were whole stories that he needed to hear, and this would be a good one, he thought. If he could get Bruce to tell him about it. Thor wasn't talking to much of anyone these days. 

"My luck has likely run out, and if you don't pay attention, yours will as well," Loki went on. "Speak with Stephen Strange. He has a nifty little green gem in a rather gaudy piece of jewelry he wears around his neck. That will allow you many chances to attack Thanos until you get it right and kill him. Reclaim all the stones he'd already gathered and destroy him. Bring people back from the dead if you can, for no doubt he'll kill many in his wake. If you get the stones, keep them away from him. If you're half the genius you tout yourself to be, Stark, figure out how to travel the strands of time, even if you can't get your hands on that green stone of Strange's." 

The image of Loki glanced around at something behind him, and Tony was certain he heard him mutter, 'I'll be there in a moment, Bruce. Just finishing this up.' He looked once more 'at' Tony. 

"I have things to tend to, Stark, before this all goes south. I have plans to make, epic villains to try to foil. Heed my warning and do what needs to be done. Save your people. Do what you do best and save your whole world. I truly do wish we could've had that drink. What mischief we could've created together." 

Tony couldn't help but smile at that. Loki knew how to appeal to him. 

"Yeah, that would've been fun, Reindeer Games," Tony remarked, though he knew the illusion couldn't hear him. He sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumbs. When he opened them again, the illusion was gone, and the stone stopped glowing as it floated back to the counter where it had been hiding all this time. 

For the first time since that little gem brought this magic out, Tony wondered how and when it had been left there.


End file.
